Pack items for your health and safety.
You may not be able to purchase and pack all of these items, and some may not be relevant to you and your travel plans. Talk to your doctor about which items are most important for you.
This list is general and may not include all the items you need. Check our Traveler Information Center for more information if you are a traveler with specific health needs, such as travelers who are pregnant, immune compromised, or traveling for a specific purpose like humanitarian aid work.
Remembering to pack extras of important health supplies in case of travel delays is always a responsible act.
Briefing On Prescription medicines
Prescription medicines are assigned by an experienced healthcare provider, hence the reliability and efficacy are presumably fantastic. Travelling with prescribed medications will help you in a lot of situations. Let’s identify a few of them:
- Your prescriptions
- Travelers’ diarrhea antibiotic
- Suture/syringe kit
- Kit is for use by local health care providers & requires a letter from your doctor on letterhead stationery
- Altitude sickness medicine
- Medicine to prevent malaria
Other Travel Essentials To Rely On
Medical supplies
- Glasses
- Consider packing spare glasses in case yours are damaged
- Contact lenses
- Consider packing spare contacts in case yours are damaged
- Needles or syringes (for diabetes, for example)
- Requires a letter from your doctor on letterhead stationery
- Suture kit
- Kit is for use by local health care providers & requires a letter from your doctor on letterhead stationery
- Diabetes testing supplies
- Insulin
- Inhalers
- Epinephrine auto-injectors (EpiPens)
- Medical alert bracelet or necklace
Supplies to prevent illness or injury
- Hand sanitizer or wipes
- Alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol or antibacterial hand wipes
- Water purification tablets
- See CDC recommendations: Water Disinfection.
- Water purification tablets
- May be needed if camping or visiting remote areas
- Insect repellent
- Select an insect repellent based on CDC recommendations: Avoid Bug Bites
- Permethrin
- Permethrin is an insect repellent for clothing. It may be needed if you spend a lot of time outdoors. Clothing can also be treated at home in advance.
- Bed net
- For protection against insect bites while sleeping
- Sunscreen
- (SPF 15 or greater) with UVA and UVB protection. See Sun Exposure.
- Sunglasses and hat
- Wear for additional sun protection. A wide-brim hat is preferred.
- Personal safety equipment
- Examples: child safety seats, bicycle helmets
- Earplugs
- Latex condoms
Over-the-counter medicines
- Antacid
- Diarrhea medicine
- Examples: loperamide [Imodium] or bismuth subsalicylate [Pepto-Bismol]
- Antihistamine
- Motion sickness medicine
- Cough drops
- Cough suppression/expectorant
- Decongestant
- Medicine for pain and fever
- Examples: acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen
- Mild laxative
- Mild sedative or other sleep aid
- Saline nose spray
Travel Medication Kit And First-Aid
- 1% hydrocortisone cream
- Antifungal ointments
- Antibacterial ointments
- Antiseptic wound cleanser
- Aloe gel
- For sunburns
- Insect bite treatment
- Anti-itch gel or cream
- Bandages
- Multiple sizes, gauze, and adhesive tape
- Moleskin or mole foam for blisters
- Elastic/compression bandage wrap
- For sprains and strains
- Disposable gloves
- Digital thermometer
- Scissors and safety pins
- Cotton swabs (Q-Tips)
- Tweezers
- Eye drops
- Oral rehydration salts
Documents To Not Miss Out!
- Health insurance documents
- Health insurance card (your regular plan and/or supplemental travel health insurance plan) and copies of claim forms
- Proof of yellow fever vaccination
- If required for your trip, take your completed International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis card or medical waiver
- Copies of all prescriptions
- Make sure prescriptions include generic names. Bring prescriptions for medicines, eyeglasses/contacts, and other medical supplies.
- Contact card
- Carry a contact card containing the street addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of the following:
- A family member or close contact remaining in the home country.
- Health care provider(s) at home
- Lodging at your destination
